Details

Category: Current Issue

PUTNAM— Hassan Diarra has had one busy year. After being a huge part in the Putnam Science Academy Mustangs season where they went 38-4 and won their 1st National Prep Championship, Diarra kept the momentum going during the summer. Diarra returned to his hometown of Queens New York and took home the Player of the Year honors at the Lincoln Park Classic after scoring 26.9 points per game.
“Hassan is a winner.” said Head Coach Tom Espinosa. “Last year he continued to get better everyday because he’s so consistent with his work ethic. We expect much more this year from Hassan as a leader and one of our go to guys.” The 6-foot, 2-inch guard averaged 10 points and 5 rebounds per game for PSA and was a force on the defensive end getting after the loose balls and making all of the hustle plays needed to be a successful team.
Diarra also has some big shoes to fill. Hassan’s brother Mamadou had a great run at Putnam Science Academy before receiving a scholarship to play D1 Basketball for the UConn Huskies.

.
 

Details

Category: Current Issue

WOODSTOCK — Running was on the radar this summer for The Woodstock Academy boys’ cross-country team.
Summer conditioning is just about a must for the fall season.
Coach Peter Lusa was happy to see that the majority of his runners agree with that and had the technological evidence to back up their claims of what they did over the summer.
 “I was very happy with what I saw,” Lusa said. “We had the kids do some online logging of their running this summer, not everyone did it, but a lot of them did. It got the talk going and a number of kids did over 200 miles this summer. Some of them did that in the latter part of the summer, but they were thinking about it and I’m encouraged.”
The Centaurs return the majority of their top runners from last season when they put together a 4-8 record.
Reaching that four-win mark again this season might be a challenge.
The Centaurs find themselves in Division I of the Eastern Connecticut Conference this season alongside defending ECC champion, East Lyme, and runner up Norwich Free Academy.
“It’s going to be interesting, Everybody has their up-and-down years, we will see where everyone is at. The thing I like about our sport is that it’s you versus the stopwatch. So if our kids are in shape and running well, they will do what they do. We don’t have the depth of an NFA but we will see how we do,” Lusa said.
Senior captain Noah Pepper knows what kind of challenge lies ahead.
“I’m terrified to be honest,” Pepper said with a laugh. “There are all these giant schools with teams probably double the size of ours, but we will take them on.”
Ethan Aspiras returns after a good freshman season that saw him lead the team across the finish line at the Eastern Connecticut Conference championship in 38th place last season. Aspiras, who came into practice a bit late, is one of those who put in the mileage over the summer.
Senior Kenneth Birlin finished second (59th overall) for the Centaurs in the ECC, but flip-flopped with Aspiras in the Class MM state championship race with an 81st place finish while Aspiras placed 95th.
Other runners that Lusa will be relying on include seniors Holden Pimental, Pepper, Spencer Collins and Kasdit Muenprastivej.
“I really never wanted to be a captain, but having the privilege to be and earning the trust of the coaches is reassuring. It feels good,” Pepper said.
Juniors Matt Roethlein, Evan Gianfriddo, Christian Mink, and Tristan Monahan return as do sophomores Tyler Barrette, Cody Currie, Jackson Dias, John Peabody and Noah Salsich.
The season starts for the Centaurs Sept. 8 when they race at the Haddad Invitational at Windham High School.
“It’s a way for the kids to see the big meet. It’s a way for us to have the conversation, ‘Hey, when you get out, you have to get out ahead or else you will get boxed in.’ It’s a teaching tool and a rallying point,” Lusa said of the Invite.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director

.

Details

Category: Current Issue

PUTNAM— Former Putnam Science Academy Guard Danny Upchurch, who played for the Mustangs during the 2013-2014 season, has officially signed his first professional contract to play basketball for BC Titebi of the Georgia-Superleague. Upchurch completed his collegiate career with an average of 18.8 points per game while dishing out 179 assists, the fifth most in a single season at the University of New Haven. In his two seasons at New Haven, Upchurch compiled 342 assists which is 8th in program history. Upchurch started at point guard for PSA during the 2013-2014 season where he averaged 14 points and 7 assists per game. A true team leader, the guard also helped PSA capture their 1st National Prep School Tournament elite eight berth after an overall record of 29-5. That team will be inducted into the Putnam Science Academy Athletic Hall of Fame later this year in October.

.

Details

Category: Current Issue

No logs available at press time.